The Forty Elephants (Large Print)

Description

Peaky Blinders meets Oceans 8 in The Forty Elephants, an epic novel set in Roaring Twenties London, based on the real-life, all-female gang of the same name who specialized in crime as high art, targeting posh department stores and elites. London in the 1920s is no place for a woman with a mind of her own. Gang wars, violence, and an unforgiving world have left pickpocket Alice Diamond scrambling to survive in the Mint, the gritty neighborhood her family has run for generations. When her father goes to jail yet again and her scam artist brother finds himself in debt to the dangerous McDonald crime syndicate, Alice takes over. Fighting for power at every turn, she struggles to protect her fathers territory and keep the people she loves safe from some of Londons most dangerous criminals. Recruited by the enigmatic Mary Carr, Alice boldly chooses to break her fathers edict against gangs and become part of a group of notorious lady shoplifters, the Forty Elephants. Leaving the Mint behind, she and the other girls steal from the areas poshest department stores, and for the first time in her life, Alice Diamond tastes success. But its not long before she wants more--no matter the cost. And when her past and present collide, theres no escaping the girl from the Mint.

Erin Bledsoe was told in sixth grade that her essay on Marie Antoinette showed promise, fueling her dream to write about historical women. When shes not writing, shes exploring nature, collecting journals, or rolling dice at a table with friends playing Dungeons & Dragons. She lives with her husband and children in Michigan.

The Forty Elephants is a dazzling read from start to finish. Despite her hard edges, Alice Diamond is an unforgettable heroine you cant help but love. Full of unexpected twists and turns, her story will not only delight and surprise you but touch your heart as well. Bledsoe delivers with this rich and daring debut!-- Amanda Skenandore, award-winning author of Between the Earth and Sky [An] impressive debut...Fans of intelligent historical fiction will be eager to see what Bledsoe does next.-- Publishers Weekly